It’s Ramadan, and during this time most people hate travelling. Somehow though it always happens with me that I get sent away to some African country. First year in Jhb and lucky I was sent to Madagascar about 2 weeks after Ramadan. Second year in Jhb [last year] I get sent to Accra, Ghana. This year the beginning of my third year I get sent to a country on South Africa’s doorstep, yet I haven’t visited till now…Mozambique.

I started typing this delightful blog entry in Maputo, but it got forgotten when the workload came in. So excuse the late posting of this here simple piece…
“””
So here I sit in Maputo typing this and wondering how much longer to go till I can break my fast. Supposed to be paying attention to the training programme that Inter Press Service Africa is running with journalists from all over Africa, but my priority is food right now.

Maputo is an awesome place. I’m one of those weird types who loves travelling Africa. So far every country I’ve been to is awesome in my book. And Maputo is no different.

Flight sadly was delayed so landed only at 9pm [SA and Maputo share the same time zone]. But the plane ride alone was an experience and a half. If you’ve been on a rollercoaster you know the feeling when it falls and the pit of your stomach just goes upside down. Well it was exactly like that. Travelling in a brand spanking new LAM small plane – smaller then the conventional plane we use travelling between cities in SA – the take off went smooth but the ride just got bumpy. Any turbulence hit sent the plane up and down like a rollercoaster — only thing missing was the loop the loops and the funny twists and turn.

Landing the first thing I noticed was that Maputo is a brightly lit city, no different from Johannesburg or Cape Town, BUT the streets are heavily lit and not really the houses. An oddity to say the least.

The hotel we were accommodated in was the same one the conference would be held in. the Fanrpan dialogue, would be an interesting one as only their name alone can suggest. FANRPAN = Food Agriculture Natural Resources and Policy Analysis Network – Regional Policy dialogue.

Yes that’s exactly what I attended. A mouthful and a half to say the least.

So first thing was worrying about sehri for the next morning. Yes I know as a traveller, I did not have to fast but I wanted to and I also felt that I needed to as my journey was not a difficult one and neither was it an entirely different time zone. So I fasted and it was easy. [well some what easy – have to admit I had moments where I wished I wasn’t fasting but I kept them all]

Sehri was provided by the hotel kitchen before I headed to sleep. Two rolls and some butter. Its very hard trying to communicate with them if they only speak Portuguese. Water in my hotel room and I was sorted for suhoor. Why didn’t i just order room service? well for one it ends at midnight and two because they were terribly expensive! No idea why but they were!

I was lucky that my old housemate Zakiyya’s sister is married and staying in Maputo as well. Hajra took it upon herself to make sure I had food for iftaar and sehri every day till I left. Thanks to her I was sorted for the one week from Monday till Friday. But the Friday to Sunday I fended for myself. I had carried some Kajoor so that again was no problem, the hunger and thirst though was madness. Use to head straight out from the conference to my room and hunt for some chips [crisps] and junk food.

After though I royally indulged in the delicacies that make Mozambique famous. Portuguese chicken, fresh fish, crab curry, prawns and even a huge lobster was on the menu for me when I joined my colleagues for supper around the town.

I think I most probably put on more weight in Maputo then I have ever done in any other Ramadan.

I hunted for a mosque near where we stayed, but found none sadly. I was though shown one on one of the field trips slightly out of the city. Managed to catch Iftaar with some of the locals. Portuguese bread is amazing. Not like the synthetic rolls we get here.

definitely my highlight moment.

Next blog… all about Maputo.

http://zahira.co.za/blog/wp-content/uploads/blog2.JPG

Mosque approximately 12km out of central Maputo. They all sitting on the stoop for iftaar waiting for Azaan to be called.

An attempt at rediscovery and finding a way to write again…

There’s this place just north of Durban, that we use to frequent often growing up. It’s also one of those special places to me. Surrounded by a nature reserve we use to go there on weekends for a braai and picnic or I use to escape there from campus when things were getting a bit much.

Once you head out on the yellow trail for a short hike, you can see the most amazing views. Rolling hills, topped with trees in all their finery, dressed in their best greens and the sweetest voices calling from nests among the finery. Walking through archways created by the overhanging branches and spotted and dotted with white flowers, you turn down the partway and climb endlessly to the bottom of till you feel the cool breeze rising from deep within the canopy calling your name. Inviting you towards the sound of rippling brooks and bubbling streams. As you move towards the sound and get closer and closer the soft sounds turn into faster waters, calling out.

Step through the breaking trees, not more then inkling in front of you runs a stream. Following it closely upstream, you can hear a deep gurgling rushing sound. A little further up and you see one of the most breathtaking, jaw dropping unspoilt wonders of nature. A waterfall gushing down into a dark whirlpool of water, it reminds you of a washing machine in spin cycle.

This is my place; this is the place that is special to me. That holds my breath and lets me breath again. Somewhere I feel at peace. I watch the falls. The gurgling plunge pool and I let it ease my worries and mind.

I miss that place. One day I will go back and find the peace so breathtaking, so brilliant, and so untouched by the outside world, by the mundane life that takes us on an ever fast moving race to the finish line. So much so that we don’t have a chance to stop and enjoy the wonders of the world around us.

A place in just outside of Durban...picture taken a while back